74. The Commission considered that some of the key issues of concern to African forestry should be brought to the attention of the Committee on Forestry. These were:
• The dual role of forests and trees as ecological, social and economic resources was noted. The meeting therefore recommended that both functions be considered and called upon FAO, the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), the African Timber Organization (ATO) and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), in particular through the African Forest Research Network (AFORNET), to develop methodologies and case studies on assessment and valuation of economic and environmental services of forests in the African context.
• The Commission recognized the particular importance of forestry and forest resources in Low Forest Cover Countries in Africa, most of which being also low-income and food-deficit countries. It was therefore recommended that governments of LFCCs, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and FAO, should strengthen the LFCC Secretariat and active participation of its member countries.
• The Commission endorsed the report of the Working Party on the Management of Wildlife and Protected Areas, and in particular the recommendations requesting:
i. FAO to assist affected countries to develop common strategies and approaches to deal more efficiently with transboundary movements of wildlife;
ii. FAO and other relevant institutions to continue supporting efforts on breeding wild species for food;
iii. TCDC on the management of wildlife and protected areas to be encouraged and supported by FAO and other relevant international and bilateral organizations;
iv. FAO to take appropriate measures for effectively implementing the Commission’s long-standing request to establish a Wildlife Officer’s post at the Regional Office for Africa.
v. Conflicts between human populations and wild animals be further addressed with assistance by FAO and other partners and that the issue be the subject of the next in-session seminar.
• The Commission stressed the importance of bilateral, regional and global agreements on forest fires. It recommended that FAO continue to support cooperation in forest fire management and, in particular, proceed with the completion of its programme and to convene a ministerial meeting on forests, including forest fires, in connection with the Seventeenth session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO).
• The Commission, noting the various international, regional and sub-regional initiatives relating to water resources management and the existence of a number of river basin organizations, recommended that countries, FAO and other partners active in the sector should take stock and cooperate with those organizations and duly incorporate their experience and potential contributions.
• Participants expressed concern at the low priority initially accorded to forestry in the CAADP and the UNEP-led Environment Initiative. The Commission recommended that FAO should, in concertation with the NEPAD Secretariat and UNEP, take steps to harmonize the two initiatives.